As companies face increasingly sophisticated risks—particularly those driven by technology-driven and cybersecurity needs—the responsibilities of the audit committee have grown significantly more complex. To remain effective and efficient in this evolving environment, audit committees must continuously adapt. Audit committee meetings are no exception. Audit committee meetings now encompass more critical issues than ever, despite compressed schedules.
The 2025 Audit Committee Practices Report (ACPR), a joint publication from the Center for Audit Quality (CAQ) and Deloitte’s Center for Board Effectiveness, asked audit committee directors about current committee priorities, challenges and opportunities. To dig deeper into respondents’ strategies to enhance meeting effectiveness, the CAQ and Deloitte partnered with Dr. Andrew J. Felo of Susquehanna University and Dr. Steven A. Solieri of Queens College to conduct follow-up interviews with 27 audit committee directors. Their insights are captured in a supplemental report, Voices from the Audit Committee.
Together, the two reports outline opportunities for audit committees to elevate meeting quality, deepen member engagement and strengthen governance practices.
Chart source: 2025 Audit Committee Practices Report (CAQ and Deloitte’s Center for Board Effectiveness)
Here are four strategies identified from our interviews that distinguish high-functioning committees from the rest.
1. Improve presentation quality
Improving presentation quality was the top strategy identified in the ACPR to enhance effectiveness (40 percent), and 22 of 27 directors we interviewed noted that presentations often take up so much time that little space remains for discussion or questions. The solution: Assume members have read the pre-reads and skip the slide-by-slide readout.
The most effective presentations surface key insights and flag close calls. The 1/3 rule is a useful tool: Allocate one-third of meeting time for prepared remarks, two-thirds for discussion. Chairs can support this effort by enforcing time limits and redirecting presenters who drift into recitation mode. “Let’s focus on what is important and not on routine or rote things… tell us what is new and important.”
2. Increase member engagement
Increasing engagement was the second most cited strategy for improving audit committee meeting effectiveness, identified by 34 percent of ACPR survey respondents. In follow-up interviews conducted for the supplemental report, 25 of 27 directors described their fellow committee members as highly engaged. However, more technical topics were less likely to result in discussion.
The chair’s job is to enhance engagement by briefing members on key issues ahead of the meeting, drawing out quieter voices during discussion, and maintaining a culture where disagreements between management and external auditors get resolved, not glossed over. “I want members to walk away believing that they added value by attending the meeting and that they are glad they came.”
3. Enhance pre-read materials
About 29 percent of respondents in the ACPR identified pre-read quality as an area for improvement, and the large volume of materials received was the most common complaint in our interviews. Adjustments include requiring an executive summary on every report, moving granular detail to appendices and clearly highlighting changes from prior periods. Audit committee chairs can also meet with the financial reporting team in advance to discuss the materials.
Improving pre-read materials and ensuring predictable delivery times allows meeting attendees to have sufficient time to review and understand what’s on the agenda. “An incomplete draft a week before the meeting is better than a complete document the day before.”
4. Manage meeting time
Effective committees treat meeting structure as a discipline. One underexamined area is attendance: according to the ACPR, 82 percent of companies allow non-committee board members to attend, but chairs need to decide upfront whether those guests are observers (49 percent of audit committees) or active participants (46 percent of audit committees). Ambiguity on this approach can affect the length and efficiency of meetings. ”I sometimes have to remind members that our job is oversight, not to manage the business.”
As the oversight role of the audit committee continues to expand, effective meetings will ensure structured time to address a broad range of topics impacting audit quality and our capital markets. Respondents indicated leveraging internal audit, addressing cybersecurity oversight and discussing emerging technologies like AI as future topics of discussion. For more insights, read the full Audit Committee Practices Report here.
